When I took a cruise to Alaska on the Disney Wonder in June, not only was I fulfilling a bucket-list dream to see the 49th state – the largest state by area became official on Jan. 3, 1959 – I was making a check mark on another list: stepping foot in my 50th.

Kyle Wagner

Ketchikan, Ala., was small and easy to navigate.

Being a travel editor is indeed a dream job, and I’ve been lucky enough to travel quite a bit during the more than 6 years I’ve been in the position. But the truth is, I did 95 percent of my wandering before I started getting paid to do so, and as far as visiting these United States, I’d been to 48 of them before taking on this gig.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m certainly not complaining about what is an amazing job, and I’m lucky even to have one, I know. And two of the toughest states to get to – Hawaii and Alaska – were indeed ones I got to check out courtesy of The Denver Post.

How did I make it to the other 48? Well, moving around helped a bit. I was raised in Pittsburgh, Pa., and lived in Chicago for a while. I then lived in Naples, Fla., for a few years before coming to Denver about 18 years ago. Being in those well-situated places meant that it was easier to get around to the surrounding states.

It also helps that I never met a road trip I didn’t like – once even going along on a non-stop round-trip trek from Pittsburgh to Chicago to help a friend move a couch. If you’ve ever done that one, you know it’s about as boring and flat as it gets. And I’ve done the round-trip drive from Pittsburgh to Florida several times, and the Florida to Denver once — enough to know I don’t ever want to do it again.

But I don’t consider just driving through as “visiting” a state – I only counted it if I actually spent overnight time in one of its major cities. I also was fortunate to have friends get married or live in some of the New England states, and when I lived in Florida, music was a driving force – pun intended – to getting me to places such as Louisiana and Alabama to visit venues to see bands perform.

And as typically dysfunctional as my childhood was, kudos to my parents for at least trying to make family vacations in neighboring states happen for me and my sister.

Over the next couple of months, I hope to revisit each state in this blog, trying to conjure up my memories of what I liked or not, and find out if some of the things I remember, especially from places such as Wildwood, N.J., from my childhood, are still around, and how they’ve changed. I’m going to do it in alphabetical order, so first up: Alabama.

I hope you’ll come along for the ride.

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The 18th annual Telluride Blues and Brews powered through rain, snow, hail and blazing sun Sept. 16-18 for yet another amazing three-day festival of music, food, beer and fun. There is so much to love about this well-orchestrated event. Let me count some of the ways:

1. Blues! And so much of it, from the country blues of the Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band to the soulful blues guitar of Robert Cray to the eclectic blues of Anders Osborne to the boogie woogie blues piano of Marcia Ball. Even when one of the headliners is Big Head Todd and the Monsters, not an immediate go-to for the blues, there are still blues in the offing — the band sent out some Robert Johnson in memory of the late David “Honeyboy” Edwards. Not to mention a ridiculously fun version of “Black Betty,” which allegedly was written by 12-string blues guitarist Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter, although most people know it from Ram Jam. The Flaming Lips were sensational. Not really blues. But such a hoot to see live. As was Willie Nelson, bless his crowd-pleasing heart.

2. Brews! And so much of it, not only from the vendors who were sending it forth from kegs in garbage cans and strapped to their backs and in booths as fast as they could, for heaven sakes, but also at the grand tasting of 50 micros.

Kyle Wagner

The chill scene at the 18th annual Telluride Blues and Brews.

3. Fab food! Where to start? How about with dessert, which was hard to resist once I found the Telluride Truffle booth, where for less than $4 you could get a baby sundae (there was one called something like the “big papa” for $6.75, but it really was huge) with excellent vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and a choice of melted milk or dark chocolate. Healthier options included a wonderful selection of veggie-packed stir-fries and noodle bowls, as well as a gyros vendor doing an enormous Greek salad with a spanakopita for less than $10.

4. Um, it’s in Telluride. The prevailing joke is that when it seems as though a performer has forgotten the words, it’s really just that they’ve looked up for a sec and suddenly seen where they are. The snow-capped mountains can make it hard to concentrate. Between shows, you can wander around town, or hike the Jud Wiebe trail, or grab an expertly crafted latte at the Coffee Cowboy (123 E. Colorado Ave.) and pet one of the many dogs who hang out there.

Kyle Wagner

The fabulous dumpster volunteers separating out the tasty compostables and recyclables.

5. It’s green. All festivals should have to visit this festival to see how it can be done. Volunteers crouch atop the dumpsters to direct your garbage into the compost, recycling or regular bins, and very few items make it into the latter, because most of the products used here are uber-biodegradable. In addition, most of the energy is solar-generated, and the event sponsors have made this a 100 percent carbon neutral happening. Read all about it here.

6. It’s chill. Even when it’s freezing. Even when attendees had to cover themselves in Hefty bags to keep from drowning in the rain (I had a photo of this, but my buddy’s camera met with an unfortunate post-festival Colorado River accident, and it now swims with the fishes). Even when walking around in the mud felt like surfing. No one complained. Sure, people made jokes about the mud and the cold and the hail, but I never ran into anyone who seemed to be seriously bummed out. We had blues! And brews! And we were in Telluride!

Kyle Wagner

One of the cool stilt dudes, part of a parade of them who wandered around the crowd on the third day.

7. It’s well organized. Bands started on time. Stuff was where it was supposed to be. There were more than enough port-o-potties, and they even had the washing stations. There was a huge section of games and a play area for kids. When the rain washed out the walkway at the entrance, they had a plan for getting folks safely inside. There was no bottleneck at the bag-checking station. Everyone was friendly and happy to be there, even on Day 3 when they were tired of looking to see if you were trying to sneak in a small dog – or worse, glass bottles filled with vodka – again.

8. The juke joints. When each day’s music was over, if you were jonesing for more, a $25 juke joint ticket would get you into the four or five venues each night that were hosting the bands. It was very casual, and it went on for hours.

It may be time to put the 19th annual on your calendar. You can get on the mailing list here.

Also, check out the Reverb live review and photo gallery.

For more Travel news and features, check out The Denver Post online, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

Just came back from a trip to Chicago, doing the college visits, showing my daughters a city that I spent some time in when I lived farther north – in Lake Villa, near Gurnee and Six Flags – for a spell during my own college years.

We wanted to do some of the touristy things downtown – visit the Bean, check out the Art Institute of Chicago, hang with the jellies and the beluga whales at Shedd Aquarium – but couldn’t have been there during a more hectic time: Lollapalooza was raging, the Cubs were playing, it was the last hurrah for many looking to get shopping in for school clothes and take in the sights during last-minute Magnificent Mile mini-vacations. It was standing-room-only in the streets.

The biggest eye-opener for this family from one of the smaller big cities – the great thing about Denver is that while places may get packed, everything is eventually doable – was that lines to get into some attractions were taking longer to get through than visiting the attractions themselves. For instance, first thing on a Thursday, the queue for Shedd was an hour and a half…in 90-plus temps, at about 95 percent humidity.

Courtesy Shedd Aquarium

The beluga whales are a huge attraction at Chicago's Shedd Aquarium.

Ugh.

The good news for us was that we had CityPASSes, which for Chicago cost $76 per adult ($59 ages 3-11) and allow the holders to do some pretty fabulous things, like completely bypass the ridiculous lines and head straight in through the air-conditioned back door. No line, no unbearable heat. Not to mention that we saved 52 percent off the regular admission fees.

The places and the savings vary from city to city – right now, CityPASS is available in 10 cities, including New York, Atlanta, Toronto and San Francisco, as well as a Southern California version that involves 32 percent off admission to Disneyland – but the premise is the same: save some dough, walk right in.

Obviously, this doesn’t make sense if you weren’t already going to hit some of these spots. But we made our money back in the first three places (the Chicago booklet also includes the Field Museum and your choice of the John Hancock Observatory or the Museum of Science and Industry) and saved hours of time by avoiding the hot lines.

A few things to keep in mind: the passes are valid nine days from the first day you start to use them (there are no blackout days), and you can either have them mailed to you or issued as an e-ticket. And some of them include extras like a free cup of coffee or an IMAX movie.

Love it.

For more Travel news and features, check out The Denver Post online, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook.

For the most part, the feedback from my recent story on a relaxing trip to the Big Island, most of it spent at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, was positive, but there are always haters.

One guy called to say that he couldn’t believe I had gone to “that place,” because he feels that doing so is to miss out on the “real Hawaii.”

Kyle Wagner

Mark Griffin and 6-month-old son Gabriel enjoy the day on Anaeho'omalu Bay.

Of course, I pointed out that very thing in the article, but also said that my sense of the Big Island was that it was still one giant tourist trap. We did drive around a bit, as well, and everywhere I looked, there were indications that this is an island that makes its living from…tourism.

That said, I made it clear that my intention was to kick back, relax, have a good time. All of which I did. I wanted one-stop shopping. I didn’t want to have to move around, seek out anything beyond an easy walk to the next delicious meal or massage, or mosey down the coast a bit to snorkel.

Not everything makes it into the print version, so here are a few more things to consider if this is the kind of vacation you’re looking for.

Kyle Wagner

A dolphin checks out the action at Dolphin Quest at the Hilton Waikoloa Village.

Hilton Waikoloa Village If you want to come for the day and swim, you can get a day pass for $100 for four people, good for 8 a.m.-5 p.m. It’s a decent deal if you’re staying elsewhere and plan to visit one evening to eat at the luau or one of the restaurants (highly, highly recommend Imari, the Japanese eatery). That means you can also wander over and check out Dolphin Quest, where you can linger along the walkway and watch the dolphins swimming and playing around, even if you aren’t going to swim with them. They’re pretty cute.

Kyle Wagner

Front-row seats at the luau afford you first crack at the food and better views.

If you’re going to do the Legends of the Pacific luau at the Hilton, by the way, it’s worth it to pay the extra $26 per person to sit at the front tables. First of all, it means unlimited alcohol. Second, you get fed first, and it’s sit-down, not buffet, with all of the foods set up in a giant lazy Susan in the middle of the table. Third, you can see the show better. Valet parking is also included in this price, so if you aren’t staying at the property, it’s a nice perk, as well.

Sea Paradise Manta Ray Snorkel We were told that a waterproof camera would work on this trip, but not one of our shots turned out, even though there was a diver beneath us with a giant strobe backlighting the mantas as they swam along. Huge bummer. Especially because those cameras are expensive, as is the processing. So that was about $30 down the drain, fyi. If you’re going to be on the island for several days and can swing it, just in case your trip is light on sightings, try to do this one at the beginning of your vacation, so that you can try again one night if you want. It’s such a cool experience.

James L. Wing

It's quite breathtaking to swim so close to manta rays on the Sea Paradise snorkel trip at night.

Also, if you’re inclined toward seasickness, don’t forget the Dramamine. Even if the water isn’t choppy and the boat ride doesn’t get you, being in the water for several hours might. My friend had no problem with the morning snorkel trip with Fair Wind, but forgot to take the Dramamine again that night on the manta ray trip. She had to get out of the water, and then her fun was over.

Enterprise is my favorite rental car place, but not on the Big Island. I don’t know why their system is so awful, but it took a full hour to get the car after the shuttle took me from the the airport to their trailer. First you have to wait in line to check in. Then you wait again until someone goes and gets the car, and then they call your name and go over everything. It’s as though they didn’t even know you were coming. Very disorganized.

I do highly recommend an outdoor massage at the Sheraton Keahou Bay Resort & Spa, though, where we also encountered some of the nicest and on-their-game staff during the trip, the gentlemen working the valet parking area.

The sound of the beach as background noise, that’s about as relaxing as it gets.

For more Travel-related features and news, visit the Denver Post site, or follow Travel on Twitter and Facebook.

A program that started last year with more than 600 museums across the country is being expanded this summer with 500 more, allowing active-duty military personnel and their families free admission through the National Endowment for the Arts.

According to the Associated Press, the program, called Blue Star Museums, runs Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Karl Gehring

The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center is among the museums offering free entry to the military this summer.

Nearly three dozen Colorado museums are participating, including the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose and The Wildlife Experience in Parker. In Denver, the participants include the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art.

For a full list of participants across the nation, visit the Blue Star website.

For more Travel-related features and news, visit the Denver Post site, or follow Travel on Twitter and Facebook.

June is National Great Outdoors Month, and to celebrate, campgrounds, RV parks and resorts that are part of the Go Camping America family will offer a 20 percent discount on overnight stays.

If you’ve never checked out Go Camping America, it’s kind of one-stop shopping for camping, including listings of private parks and campgrounds, camping tips, recipes, you name it –if it’s related to camping, they have something on it.

Pacific Yurts

Yurts are a great rental option at campgrounds.

The National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds group is based in Colorado and represents more than 3,300 private RV parks and campgrounds. Starting May 15, if you visit the Go Camping America website, you can print out an e-coupon for the discount, good at participating campgrounds from June 1-25.

In addition, RV-rental companies Camping World and El Monte RV are offering discounts during the month, as well.

Want to find out how fun an RV trip can be? Read about a 1,803-mile excursion around the national parks of the West, called the Grand Circle tour, as well as my first-timer’s account of RVing.

For more Travel-related features and news, visit the Denver Post site, or follow Travel on Twitter and Facebook.

When I told my youngest daughter we could go anywhere within reasonable driving distance for spring break, she surprised me by immediately answering, “Taos.”

Kyle Wagner

The Sangre de Cristo mountains are visible from the courtyard outside of San Geronimo Church at Taos Pueblo.

She didn’t just want to revisit “the place of red willows” – she also wanted to stay in the same great lodging we had been before, Adobe & Pines Inn in Ranchos de Taos south of town, the inviting bed and breakfast owned by former restaurateurs Katherine and Louis Costabel, where breakfast is hearty enough to keep you going through lunch and possibly dinner, and the laid-back vibe means the relaxation starts the second the vehicle hits the gravel driveway.

Kyle Wagner

One of the elaborate breakfasts at Adobe & Pines Inn in Taos.

First, though, we stopped for a couple of days at Ojo Caliente, which continues its extensive remodel. We stayed in one of the spacious suites at the end, which affords a bit of privacy. They have microwaves and mini-fridges tucked into the bathroom area, as well as kiva fireplaces with nice, spacious sitting areas, and after two days, it was hard to tear ourselves away from the hot springs pools, with their varied temperature and mineral-content options (included from day of arrival through day of departure, along with a stop in the steam and sauna rooms). Ojo is still working on a private Kiva Pool that will be open only to the suites at one end of the property.

Kyle Wagner

Relaxing no the hammocks at Ojo Caliente.

The comfy, Southwestern-styled Artesian Restaurant was excellent – we tried the enormous breakfast burrito (get it “Christmas”-style to try both the red and green chile stews), the huevos rancheros and the vegetarian sandwiches, and also checked out the twice-daily Hatha yoga offerings ($15 per person) in the big yurt.

Kyle Wagner

One of the relaxing pools at Ojo Caliente.

Yoga was one of our goals for the trip; we wanted to be as relaxed, stretched and rejuvenated as possible. Not surprisingly, there are quite a few yoga spots in Taos.

One of the day managers at Adobe & Pines, Paul Kelly, runs Ananda Yoga Studio, which offers group and private lessons. Kelly’s instruction flows from the Iyengar, Ashtanga Vinyasa and Vini methods, and the studio has classes that focus on individual styles as well as ones that meld techniques. Kelly is very into making sure that students are comfortable with the movements.

Shree Yoga Taos had a refreshing Kundalini yoga class that incorporated the asanas and meditation. It was a spacious, relaxing studio that also offers hatha yoga and yin flow, along with classes that focus on work to help with back problems and other therapeutics.

Our other goal: to eat some fabulous New Mexican food. We always stop in at Michael’s Kitchen for a long John, split in half and thickly filled with whipped cream, to go with one of their cheap, oversized diner meals.

Kyle Wagner

Big, big nachos at the Alley Cantina.

Another fave: the nachos at The Alley Cantina, which sits in a 16th century adobe building, the oldest in Taos, and still has some of the original walls. It’s a quick, laid-back stop for a beer and these nachos, which are big enough for three or four people for a nice afternoon snack, piled about eight inches high and packed with salsa, sour cream, beans and jalapenos ($8), then smothered with gooey melted cheese. We also love The Love Apple for its heavenly salads (grilled peach and corn-crusted local chevre, yum).

We’re sort of over World Cup Coffee on Paseo del Pueblo norte, just as you turn to go into the Plaza. They had construction going on in front, and they seemed annoyed with us that we didn’t know that as we tried to stop by for what used to be our favorite latte. So sorry, we’re from out of town. And we stopped by another day and had just a so-so drink. Now we’ve switched our allegiance to Noula’s at Hotel La Fonda, which brews Starbucks beans and has nice people, and the lobby of La Fonda for atmosphere. So there.

The Stakeout Restaurant south of the city, near Ranchos de Taos, has fabulous views and a rich, delicious ravioli dish ($15) that will require you to hike it off the next day – it comes filled with roasted squash and pumpkin, draped in a butter, sage and pine nut sauce. The sole ($19.75) is another worthy, well-crafted dish, the fish wrapped around crab and ricotta and gussied up with hollandaise sparked by sun-dried tomatoes.

A good hiking option is just across the road, an open, easygoing area that is good for kids and dogs – fairly level, with several options. The main out-and-back heads toward the Rio Grande rim and is about a mile and a half one way, with spurs to either side to go longer. The trailhead, with a small parking lot, has a hiker sign on the highway and sits on the east side of the road as you head south from the Stakeout. Be sure to take water.

Kyle Wagner

A view of the Rio Grande from a hike.

For somewhat more intensive rim hikes, you can drive the 12 miles to the Rio Grande Gorge and hike some of the 22 gorgeous miles of trails that follow along the river and rim there.

During our visit, a local mentioned that Santa Fe acts as though Taos is a day trip from the “real” attraction of New Mexico.

That’s absurd. We spent the better part of a week in Taos and could hardly tear ourselves away. And can’t wait to go back.

For more Travel-related features and news, visit the Denver Post site, or follow Travel on Twitter and Facebook.

Through the efforts of several organizations, including the Society of American Travel Writers, bloggers around the world are uniting to blog for New Zealand (#Blog4NZ on Twitter) to help the country out — it seems it’s been hurting a bit in the tourism department since the Canterbury earthquake.

Ricardo Baca

Kayakers in New Zealand enjoy an evening tour of Lake Taupo's volcanic coastline.

Through tomorrow, a search on #Blog4NZ will turn up thousands of stories about travel around the beautiful North and South islands from an amazing variety of travel writers and publications.

In September, Denver Post music editor Ricardo Baca wrote about his adventure-filled trip, “New Zealand’s Watery Wonderland,” and it’s worth checking out if you’re headed that way, especially if kayaking, sailing or zorbing are high on your list of planned activities. He shared five itineraries, along with places to stay and eat, focusing on the North Island, and he included cultural hub Wellington and a trip to Napier’s wineries.

For more Travel-related news and features, visit The Denver Post online, or check us out on Facebook or Twitter.

Because I was staying at Los Poblanos Inn in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque during this last trip to New Mexico, I mostly ate in the North Valley, although I did manage to swing past Nob Hill, as well. There are so many fabulous eateries to choose from, including many Mexican and Southwestern places, but here were a few standouts.

Casa de Benavidez (8032 4th Street NW, 505-898-3311) While droves of people are trying to get into other, more famous Mexican eateries with hour-long waits elsewhere along 4th Street in the North Valley, you could be at this quirky, family-run spot instead. The service sometimes suffers when they get busy, but the cervezas are reasonably priced and the shrimp fajitas, with the unusual addition of broccoli to the vegetable medley, are unbelievably good — seriously, you’ll start sopping up the juices with your napkin and licking it if you run out of other things to use. Also love the Old-Fashioned, which makes you think, yes, why wouldn’t I have some breakfast for dinner? The plate features three cheese enchiladas smothered in a deep, chile-rich red, sided by their delectable, crispy-greasy papitas (potatoes), with a fried egg on top, as well as a puff ball of a sopaipilla. For $10.99, it’s ridiculously filling.

Cecilia’s Cafe (230 6th St. SW, 505-243-7070) An unassuming downtown spot, Cecilia’s sports a kitschy decor — Christmas ornaments up year-round, old Coca-Cola signs, a wood-burning stove, mismatched everything — and a cheerful staff. The small kitchen sends out copious amounts of red chile, their specialty, as well as enormous burritos — the Firemen’s will fill you for the day, packed with carne adovada, eggs, hash browns and chicharrones — and enchiladas wrapped in blue corn tortillas. They make their own flour tortillas, as well, and the brownies are chocolate heaven.

Frontier Restaurant (2400 Central SE, 505-266-0550) Casual and retro-hip, filled with all manner of John Wayne-themed art and convenient to the University of New Mexico, the 40-year-old Frontier is one big melting pot of a diner. The ordering system is daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, things move quickly. And what food, including delicious carne adovada breakfast burritos, spicy huevos rancheros and a killer sweet roll. Coffee or tea comes with, all for under $5.

Kyle Wagner

Order at the counter, then watch for your number to light up when the food's ready to be picked up at the Frontier.

Flying Star (seven Albuquerque locations) An astounding array of house-baked desserts and pastries, as well as a variety of comfort foods, such as mac & cheese, chicken pot pie and French toast smothered with whipped cream. The only thing I don’t like at Flying Star is that the espresso drinks are served in glasses instead of mugs — I don’t understand why any place that takes its coffee seriously does that. The glass is too hot to hold or drink from while the beverage is still hot, and then it cools off too fast. It’s a shame, because otherwise the lattes are excellent. The Albuquerque original, which started on Nob Hill in 1987, also has a store in Santa Fe and one in Bernalillo.

Kyle Wagner

Some of the many tempting baked items available at Flying Star.

Zinc (3009 Central Ave. NE, 505-254-9462) When we were having a terrible experience at another eatery, we called Zinc at the last minute the night before Valentine’s Day on the opening weekend of “Wicked,” and bless their hearts, they got us in and gave us the stellar service and well-executed, innovative food for which the chic but relaxed eatery is known. A seat at the exhibition bar will put you up against the action, where the chefs actually take the time to say hi and check on your meal, and check out the prix fixe tasting menu, which will get you more than enough food for a great price. The onion soup, the wild mushroom tart and the duck confit eggrolls are standouts.

Read more about visiting the Albuquerque area, including a trip to Acoma Pueblo.

For more travel-related news and features, visit The Denver Post Travel online or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

From breakfast to late-night, new to tried-and-true and cheap to put-it-on-the-card (or two), here are ten great places to check out when you’re hungry in Vail.

Block 16 (In the Sebastian Hotel, 16 Vail Road, 970-477-8000). Try to score a comfy banquette in this swanky new hotel’s upscale eatery, which offers stellar service and exquisite food – the halibut with truffle-scented broth is wonderful, and the gooey-centered, warm mint chocolate finale is worth saving room for. Better-suited to adults (there’s no kids’ menu, and you’re going to pay top dollar for substitutions); families should check out the more casual Market next door.

Kyle Wagner

One of the snazzy sandwiches at Flame in the Four Seasons Vail.

Flame (In the Four Seasons Vail, One Vail Road, 970-477-8600). Elegant and inviting, the restaurant at the new Four Seasons is ideal for ladies who lunch, especially in the empty eatery while everyone else is on the mountain (the chicken lettuce wraps are perfectly not-too-filling). At night, the space is more lively but can get noisy, but the menu is much more interesting – salad of tomatoes with candied kumquats, butternut squash risotto with parsnip chips – and Thursday-Sunday they offer a rotating “butcher’s board” of meats such as roast suckling pig and salt-crusted whole fish.

The George (292 East Meadow Drive, 970-476-2656). Cheap drinks – about $3-$4 – make The George the place for 3-7 p.m. après ski. Locals know to get there early (be off the mountain by 3 p.m.) to make it anywhere near the bar or to snag a seat on one of the comfy leather couches. Come hungry because for less than $17 you can take down tasty things like King crab legs and steak, and the rest of the snack items are about half that. Sure, you’re essentially in what feels like a basement – by the way, the George can be hard to find; just ask around if you don’t see it right away – but if you’re looking for something off the beaten path and less “ski resortish,” this is it.

Joe’s Famous Deli (288 Bridge St., 970-479-7580). Reasonably priced and very kid-friendly, Joe’s is a below-street-level deli that serves superb sandwiches – the panini are extra-special, such as the all-veggie “Fun Guy” with portobello and cheese – and dozens of cleverly flavored, house-made ice creams (the birthday cake is a fave).

Kyle Wagner

It's hard to decide which homemade ice cream to get at Joe's Famous Deli.

Little Diner (616 W. Lionshead Circle, 970-476-4279). Open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., the diner serves hearty German pancakes (sprinkled with bacon), biscuits and gravy, corned beef hash, chipped beef on toast … the list goes on. All good. The “Little” part refers to the last name of the friendly owners who do all the cooking, by the way, but also to the fact that this spot isn’t very big, so you may have to wait.

Restaurant Kelly Liken (12 Vail Road, 970-479-0175) The ancho chile-braised bison short rib likely will live in infamy because first lady Michelle Obama chose it for her meal while on a Vail vacation President’s Day weekend (and Rush Limbaugh made a joke of it), but I’m partial to the pan-roasted striped bass at this pretty, even romantic, spot. A bit of a seafood fan, I’d also always start with the Meyer lemon-sparked, chilled Maine lobster – and diet be danged, the sticky bun sundae is to die for. They can get bogged down between the entrees and dessert when they’re full, and, of course, they’re always full.

Cyrus McCrimmon

The dining space is pretty and romantic at Restaurant Kelly Liken.

Terra Bistro (In the Vail Mountain Lodge & Spa, 352 E. Meadow Drive, Vail Village, 970-476-6836) has been on its game for so long, it’s worthy of the spotlight. The chic, big-city-style dining room and slick service give it a grown-up, un-resort-like feel, and the wine list is just filled with winners. A few don’t-misses from the menu: the duck breast with chipotle-chocolate fig sauce, the brown butter-sweet potato ravioli and the almond milk custard pot de creme finale.

Vendetta’s (291 Bridge St, 970-476-5070) Do not try to eat here on a weekend or during peak times in ski season, but otherwise, this is must-have pizza, thickly piled toppings on a crisp-edged crust, slightly sweet, homemade sauce. Cold beer – Fat Tire and Stella Artois on tap – and the bar in the back is always hopping. But truly, the place is a madhouse when it’s full, and there’s nowhere to wait for a table. If it’s cold, you’re going to be standing with your rear end in someone’s slices.

The Westside Café (2211 N. Frontage Road W., 970-476-7890). Kids love the Mickey Mouse pancake, adults love that this is a reasonably priced, easygoing spot for all three meals, especially breakfast (biscuits and gravy, quiche, and eight different kinds of Benedict). They also do a yerba matte latte, a killer bloody Mary, and the OJ is fresh-squeezed. Run by three former Sweet Basil employees, the place couldn’t be more welcoming, either.

Yama Sushi (168 E. Gore Creek Dr., 970-476-7332) The newest restaurant in town, Yama is on a roll: specifically, several dozen of them, with quite a few standouts. Check out “Summer in Vail,” with cucumber wrapped around snow crab, tuna, yellowtail, salmon, cilantro and avocado (no nori or rice), a splash of ponzu sauce for kick, or the Hammerhead, snow crab with eel and red tobiko, covered with wasabi peas and then fried tempura-style. There’s a short list of cooked entrees, but really, it’s all about the raw here. The red-and-black space is sleek and modern, and the bar offers a good sake selection and innovative cocktails.

Look in tomorrow’s Travel section for more on the Vail scene.

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